Shopping & Services

WOODSTOCK, Ga. -- Joseph Stewart, owner of the Book Browser bookstore in Woodstock, has started a book drive for public schools hit by severe tornadoes in Oklahoma.

The drive is in need of books for children of all ages, from picture books to young adult novels to the classics.

Stewart, a career/tech teacher at Cherokee High School in Canton, said the books will fill classroom and media center shelves in Moore, Okla., and will also be distributed to children whose homes were destroyed.

Book Browser is located at 295 Molly Lane, Suite 130. Learn more at mybookbrowser.com.

ATLANTA -- Coffee retailer Caribou Coffee said Monday they were closing four locations in metro Atlanta on April 14 as part of a larger set of store closings.

The company said it will close 80 locations nationally, and convert another 88 locations to Peet's Coffee locations, including the company's remaining nine stores in metro Atlanta.

The local stores that will be closing will be the locations on North Druid Hills Road, the Norcross store on Peachtree Parkway, and both Marietta locations -- on Powers Ferry Road and on Johnson Ferry Road.

The chain, America's second largest coffee chain behind Starbucks, was acquired in December 2012 by Joh. A. Benckiser, the German company which also recently acquired the West Coast coffee chain Peet's.

WOODSTOCK, Ga. -- Mary Hood, award-winning author and former Woodstock resident, will be at FoxTale Book Shoppe on Thursday, April 11th at 6:30pm. Hood does not make many appearances and FoxTale Book Shoppe co-owner Ellen Ward said, "What an honor to have Mary Hood visit Woodstock and FoxTale Book Shoppe! Please join us for this unique free event with a legendary author."

ATLANTA -- All Atlanta-area Pike Nurseries locations will kick off the spring planting season with Happy Flower Hours next week.

From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 22, Pike customers can enjoy store-wide discounts on plants, gardening accessories, patio furniture and more. Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q will provide complimentary food, and guests will have the opportunity to win discounts and a free landscape design. The first 100 customers will also receive a free reusable tote.

WOODSTOCK, Ga. -- FoxTale Book Shoppe is excited to welcome author Randy Susan Meyers on Monday, March 18th at 6:30pm. Meyers, who has family in Woodstock, will be discussing and signing her new novel, The Comfort of Lies. This will be the award winning author's only local appearance.

ATLANTA -- Pike Nurseries is holding a free class to help homeowners learn ways to draw birds to their backyards.

According to Pike Nurseries, roughly 350 species of birds live in Georgia. The birding class will teach participants the types of seed that are best for attracting birds, the three essentials needed to draw birds and how to provide for birds during the cold winter months.

The Attracting Birds to Your Backyard class will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 at all metro Atlanta Pike Nurseries locations. Visit pikenursery.com to find your closest location.

Pike Nurseries will also offer 20 percent off all birding accessories from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.